A 16-year-old girl was stabbed multiple times and then stoned to death in full public view in northwest Delhi's Shahbad Dairy area, a video of which is being widely shared, police said on Monday.
The accused, identified as Sahil (20), allegedly stabbed the victim over 20 times before bludgeoning her with a stone in a busy lane of the densely populated neighbourhood.
Sahil has been arrested from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, the Delhi Police said.
Delhi Police PRO Suman Nalwa said he has been arrested in connection with the murder. He worked as a fridge and AC mechanic.
In the video which has been widely circulated on social media, people can be seen passing by, staring in alarm, but not doing anything to stop the accused. Sahil later escaped from the spot.
The police said the reason behind the murder is not known yet, adding that the body of the victim, a resident of JJ Colony in Shahbad Dairy, was found lying in the street.
She was passing through the street when she was accosted by the accused, who stabbed her multiple times on Sunday night, a police officer said.
The couple was in a relationship but had a quarrel on Saturday. On Sunday, the victim planned to attend the birthday party of her friend's son but was accosted and stabbed repeatedly. She was also hit with a stone, he added.
A case under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at Shahbad Dairy police station on the basis of the complaint lodged by the victim's father, the police added.
"The reason behind the murder is not known yet," said a senior police officer.
Hitting out at Lt Governor VK Saxena over the incident, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asked him to "do something" as law and order in Delhi is his responsibility.
"A minor girl was brutally murdered in Delhi. This is very sad and unfortunate. The criminals have become fearless, there is no fear of the police. L-G sir, law and order is your responsibility, do something," he said in a tweet in Hindi.
Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson Swati Maliwal slammed the police and claimed that "no one is afraid" of the police or law in the national capital.
"What was the fault of the 16-year-old girl that she was brutally killed on the road? No one is afraid of police and law in Delhi. There will be no limits to cruelty if there's no action in this case," Maliwal said.
BJP leader Kapil Mishra compared the murder with that of Shraddha Walkar, who was killed and her body chopped into several parts.
"This painful murder has happened in Delhi. Shraddha (Walkar) hasn't got justice yet. Don't know how many more Shraddhas will become victims of this brutality," he said.
Senior AAP leader Atishi also slammed the Lt Governor and said the Constitution has given him the "responsibility of protecting people" of the Union Territory.
"I want to remind the LG that the constitution has given him the responsibility of protecting the people of Delhi. But he spends all their time to halt the work of Arvind Kejriwal. I request the LG with folded hands to pay attention to the safety of the women of Delhi as they are not safe here at all," the AAP leader wrote on Twitter.
